Chinese authorities are conducting an extensive search for four crew members who went missing after their vessel struck and sank near a bridge over the Xijian River.
In particular, seven out of the 11 crew members were rescued. This incident resembles a previous accident on the same river in 2007, which resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals.
As informed, an unknown vessel carrying 4,900 tonnes of rolled steel was traveling on the river between Fuzhou and Heshan. The region has been affected by heavy rain and flooding since the weekend, leading to reports from state media of at least 10 missing individuals and four deaths due to the flooding. Furthermore, approximately 110,000 residents in Guangdong province have been relocated because of the floods.
The ship collided with a bridge pillar at approximately 9:20 p.m. local time, causing the cargo hold to flood. The vessel became grounded and eventually sank into the river. The crew members were said to have fallen into the swollen river as a result of this incident. The river is a significant tributary of the Pearl River.
The Jiujian Bridge, renowned for being 1,682 meters long and the first major prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge in the Asia-Pacific region when it opened in 1988, was struck by a vessel. An inspection revealed abrasions on the bridge pillar, prompting Chinese officials to impose traffic control measures on the river and conduct further safety assessments on the bridge.
Reports attribute the accident to improper vessel operation exacerbated by upstream flooding and strong river currents. This incident bears resemblance to a June 2007 accident where a sand-laden vessel struck the Jiujiang Bridge, causing a 150-meter section of the bridge to collapse into the river along with the sinking of the vessel. Four vehicles fell into the river, and nine people were reported missing.
